Cigar-bunching machine



GIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 2, 1919 Iwerzor-s.'

ernardllzlbermam B. LIBERMAN ET AL.

CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mentors:,l'errwrxibernwn/ ee 25, 1923, K 1,478,829

B. LIBERMAN ET Al.

CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE -Filed Aug. 2, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I@ Z @jPatented Dec. 25, 1923. i

Niran srATEsPA'fTENr OFFICE.

BERNARD LIBEBMAN, LEON LIBERMAN, ANDWILLIAM ai. nnrcnaar, yor .PHILADEL-PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; `sain LEON- LIBnarrAN AND-sain anIcHAR/'r AssiGNoRs"TO `SAID BERNARD LIBERMAN.

CIGAR-BUNCHING MACHINE."

Anplicaton led August 2, 1919. Serial No. 314,999.

T0 aZZ @07mm t may concern: I

Be it known that we, BERNARD LrnnnMAN, LnoN LIBERMAN, and VViLLIAM M.REICH- An'r, all citizens of the United States, and all n magazine orhopper and delivering the same to the bunch forming mechanism proper.

The principal object of our present invention is to provide improvedmechanism for the above mentioned purposeywhichris so constructed andarranged whereby scrap tobacco can be handled which is of a largerk sizethan :is usually worked in cigar bunch ingmaoliines as at presentconstructed. A. further` object of our invention is to provide means`whereby the quantity of the scrap delivered `for each cigar maybeeasily and conveniently adjusted or varied without dismantlingthemachine.. A further object of our invention is to provide improvedmeans whereby the tobacco will pass from the magazine 0r hopper to themeasuring pocket*l in a condition so that the quantity delivered foreach cigar will be substantially uniform. Afurther object of ourinvention is to improve the details of construction of such machinestorender the same vmore simple, etli- `cientand certain .in theiraction.

The nature and characteristic features of oury invention will vbe morereadily fun-derstood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawingsforming part hereof in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portionof acigar bunching machineembodying the main features of our present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the.

i upper'portion of the' structure lshown in Fig.

1, the section being taken transversely thereto; f 1

Fig. 3 is an elevational viewiof the otherv side of the machine, thatis, the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on .the line tof Fig. 2; g

. Fig. 5 is anfenlargedhorizontal of the feed roll detached; lfFig. 6 isan underneath planvview 0 i H i Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken onthe line 7-7 of Fig. 5; andV 'planA view there- Fig. 8 is a sectionaldetail kview of a portion of the mechanismv for adjusting the capacityof the measuringpocket of, the feed roll shown` in detached detail inFigs. 5 to inclusive y Referring to thedrawings7 in the particularembodiment of `our invention-therein shown, the bunching machine properis provided With side-frames 10v whichform `sup-` ports for the variousparts thereof. A main. shaft l1 is .journaled in suitable pillow-'blocks 12 which Lare mounted inthe side,- frameslO. The main shaft11,ity should be understood, preferably makes oney complete i revolutionlforeach cigar bunch4 madeby the machine as is a common practiceinmachines of this vgeneral type. j l v- The side-frames 10are'connected at their uppermost extremities by means of a bracket 13which is provided withverticaly eXtensions 14C to which a housing orcasing `15 isV secured. This housing or easing 15 forms the lowerportion of the magazineor `hopper in which the supply of scraptobacco isheld, the other portion Aof the hopper'` com'-v prising a'flaringsheet-metal extension `16, the lower endsof which are secured to thehousing or casing 15 in any suitable manner. v

At the place of junction between the lower portion of the housing 15 andthe {upper portion of the vertical extensions 14C of the frameworlcl,and forming a closure forV thebottom of the magazine or" hopper, isafeed roll 17, `the detail construction vof which is shown in Figs. 5 to8. of the `drawf The feed roll 17 is provided with ex# tendingrjournalstuds 18 which are journalled in bearings formed between the hous ing 15and the vertical extensions 14 of bracket 13. To the outer end of one ofthe projecting journal studs 18, there is secured` a crank 19 1(seeFigs. 2 and 3).

A connecting rod 20 isv pivotally connected to the free end ofthe crank19, and the other endof the connecting rod 20 1s se- Ycured to the outerfree end of a lever 21 which is ,pivoted at its other end as at 22 toanportion of one of the side-frames 10. The lever 21 is also providedwithk a cam roller 23 which is in engagement with a groove 24 of a cam25 which is mounted on and rotates in unison with the main shaft 11'.The cam groove 24 is of such shape or contour whereby the feed roll 17'will be periodically-:actuated at the proper time intervals to deliverthe quantity of scrap contained therein, however, it should be notedthat the cam` groove 24 has a considerable portion thereof concentricwith the-axis of rotation of the shaft 11, so that the measuring pocket,which will be later described in detail, remains in communication withthe interior of the" magazine or hopper during a con-l siderable portionof each cycle of operation ofthe machine.

vReferring now more particularly to Figs. 5to 8 ofthe drawings, the feedroll 17 is provided with a central cavity 30, the ends 31 and 32 ofwhich are transverse to the axis of rotation, one side 33 of whichA isparallel to the axis of rotation, and the other side 34 of which is at aslight angle to the axis'of rotation (see Figl 5). To the side 34, whichis at an angle to the axis of rotation, there is removably secured bymeans of the screw 35` a'knife-blade 35, the cuttingedge 36 of whichco-acts with another knife whichV will slight angular disposition of theside-wall 34 ofthe cavity 30 is to provide a sl'iearing action for theknife-blade 35 in its co-action with the other knife-blade as willappear later. Theupper portion of the cavity 30 as defined by the endwalls 31 and 32, the side-wall 33 and the knife-blade 35 forms ameasuring pocket into which a predetermined quantityfof the scrap mayfall from the magazine when said measuring pocketV is in communicationtherewith.

The bottom of the measuring pocket is ad- Y justably defined by a plate38 which is provided with a depending bracket 39, havingV an enlargedportion 40 interiorly screwthreaded and engaged by a threaded bolt V41.The bolt 41 is journalled in the feed roll'1.7 in the'portion thereofopposite the outlet of the cavity 30, and is provided with an enlargedportion or collar 42 which is seated in a complemental recess in a block43 whichV is secured to the feed roll 17 by means of screws 44, thearrangement being such that while the bolt 41 may be freelyrotated inits `journal, it will however Abe Vrestrained againstlongitudinalmovement therein.

The outer end YofV the bolt 41 projects through the block 43 and a crankarm 45 is fixedly secured on the end thereofby means of a nut 46, thecrank arm 45 thus constituting a means for rotating the bolt 41. Theouter end of the crank arm 45 is provided with' an enlarged port-ion V47in which a pin 43 is mounted with its axis parallel to the axis ofrotation of the bolt 41. The pin 48 has an enlarged portion 49, which isprovided with a projecting teatl). A helical free the t'eat 50 fromengagement with theV recesses 54. rlhe foregoing arrangement is suchthatl the bolt 41 may be rotated and locked in semi-circtunferentialpositions, and on account of the engagement of the threaded portion ofthe bolt 41 withV the enlarged portion 4() of bracket 39'carried byV thebase-plate 38 of the measuring pocket, said base-plate may be raised orlowered and locked in the desired position when the proper adjustment ofthe measuring` pocket has thus been made.

Attention should now be directed to the particular construction andarrangement of the casing or housing 15 which constitutes the lowerportion of the magazine or hopper. As before stated, the feed roll 17constitutes a closure for the lower portion of the magazine or hopper.1t should be noted that the end walls of the lower portion of the casing15 extend vertically upwards a short distance above the 'feed roll 17and also'that for a short distance upwards, the front and rear walls ofthe casing 15 extend at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal,andabove this portion the side-walls extend flaring outward and thefront and rear walls also flare, but to a greater extent at say, anangle of about G0 degrees tothe horizontal,` rlhe object of the peculiarflaring arrangement of the hopper [walls is to secure a deliveryVV ofmixed. This is because the smaller particles icc of scrap tend to shiftthrough the larger Y particles and reach the pocket first, where thewalls of the hopper are at a less angle to the perpendicular. `Whereas,where.: the walls are more inclined, that is more nearly horizontal asthey approach theffeedroll,

this tendency is counteracted, and the large andfslnall particles arekept more together as they travel to the pocket of said feed roll.Vithi'n the lower portion ofthe casing for housing 15, therefextends ahorizontal shaft 60 Vwhichr is journalled in the sidewalls of saidcasing 15. The shaft 6() carries Wings Yor'plates 61, oppositelydisposed andarranged to rotate in unison with the shaft in the lowerlportion of the magazine between the vertical side-wallsthereof. Arrangedabove the shaft 160 andrespectively to they front and rear thereof arehorizontal shafts 62 and-"63 which carryvprojecting pins or fingers 64.i

The shaft' 60 is provided on its outer end with a gear wheel 65 whichymeshes'with a similar gear wheel 66 mounted on the outer i end ofshaft62, and a gear wheel 67 mounted onthe outer yend `of shaft 63 alsomeshes with gear wheel 66. Shaft'62 is provided shaftv 11 isVrotated,1the sprocket 70 rotating 'in unison therewith will drive thechain 69 which in turnfwill drive the sprocket 68 and thus rotate theshaft62, and, through the medium of the gears 65, 66 and 67, will alsorotate the shafts 60 kand 63, and the ratioV of` -i 'the varioussprockets and gears and the operation of the ,cam 24 actuating the feedroll, is such *that the wings or plates 61, carried'by a shaft 60 willoccupy a vertical position, as shownin Fig. 4t of the drawings,

when the feed roll first assumes the receiving position. By means of theabove described mechanism the mass of the scrap tobacco contained withinthe lower portion of the magazine or hopper will be effectively dis,-integrated, and the same will be uniformly .fed or permittedfto dropinto the measuring pocket formed'in the cavity 30 of the feed roll 17.It should be notedinpassing that the slack of the chain 69- inay betaken up by means of an idler wheel carried at the outer end of abracket 81 which is adjustably secured by means of a bolt 82 to thebracket member 13 which connects the upper ends of lthe side-frames 10.

Arranged beneath ltherfeed roll 17 is a sheet-metal chute 85 whichServes to direct the measured portions ofthe tobacco, as the same arefrom time to time delivered by the feed roll, towards thebunchingmechanismcproper, the construction ofwhich how-v ever forms no`part` of the present invention and therefore need not be further shownor described. The chute 85 is pro-vided with a f horizontally extendingconnecting arm or bracket which is adjustably secured to the y underside of the bracket 13 by means of a bolt 87,and the chute 85 vmaybe cutaway` at a portion thereof as at 88 to permit the passage oftheprojecting parts of thev measruring pocket and kadjusting mechanism asthe feed roll 17 is oscillated in its journals periodically to receive acharge from the rhopper anddeliver the same to the chute 85,.,k

The inclined front-wall 90 ,of the` lower portion 'of `the casing 15 iscut away` as at 91,

'forming an `opening in saidwall which is closed by means of aknife-blade 92, the cutting edge of'which is flush withthe cylindricalsurface of the feed roll 17 and co-acts with the cutting edge/36 of theknife-blade 35 which is mounted in the measuring pocket ofthe feedro-llv 17. Secured on .the outer face ofthe knife-blade 92 is a bracket94,'

one portion of which yis clamped' or held l95 is-tok prevent lthepremature delivery of any portion of the tobacco contained "within themeasuring pocket of the feed roll 17 and theeccentric arrangement ofvthe interior surface yserves to prevent any wedging of stems or thickparticles of the tobacco between the feed roll 17 and the sectorI plate95,r as it will be readily understood that the p feedroll 17rotateslforward,on account of the/constantly increasing space, anyparticles which may be wedged there between-will7 readily freethemselves. y

The `operation of thel machine may now be readily understood. As beforestated, the main shaft 11F makes one complete revolution for eachcigarbunch which is made in the complete machine. As lthe shaft 11vrotate's,the cam groove 24 is, so shaped as to` cause the lever 2l to beactuated, and thus, through the' intermediary of the connecting rod 20.and lever 19, the feedfroll 17 is rotated a portion of a revolution to`cause the measuring pocketto assume kwith a definite dwell thereceiving position, and then to` pass from communication with theinterior of the magazine orhopper and discharge the measured quantity oftobacco contained in` said measuring pocket to the chute 85, from`thence to be delivered to the bunching mecha-y nism which, as beforestated, forms no part of the present invention, 'and i may *beo'vfY anypreferred construction.'

The magazineorshopper whichis formed by the casing o-r housing 15` andits sheetmetal extension 16 forms a reservoiriwithin which the scrapItobacco is contained.- It will be noted that the lower` portion of thismagazine ifs provided with a series of three transversely extendinghorizontal shafts, two of which, 62'and 63lie inapproximately thev sameplaneand are provided with agitating fingers which serve to thor-' foughly disintegrate and shake vup themass of# the scrapftobacco, asthefsa'me falls' towards the feed roll atv the lower part 'of' Wings orblades Glivhich serve to insure the.

delivery of the previously disintegrated mass to the measuring pocketformed in the feed roll 17. lt should also be noted that the means fordriving the shaft 60 from the Vmain shaft l1 is of a positive character,and

the gear ratio and chain drive is so designed as to insure that theWings or members 61 carried by the shaft 60 assume a vertical positionwhen the measuring pocket of the feed roll first asumes the position forreceiving the scrap from the hopper as shown in Fig. d, so that theWings or members will present a minimum of obstruction to the flow ofscrap from the hopper to the pocket 30.

It should be'understood that on account of differences inteXture,atmospheric condi tions, and different Working characteristics ofvarious sizes ofscrap tobacco, itis .difficult to determine in advancethe size of the measuring' pocket required which will deliver ltheproper quantity of tobacco for a .particular size and shape of'cigarbunch. itis therefore desirable that means be provided for easily andconveniently adjusting or. varying'thesize'of the measuring pocketwithout. requiring any operation involving the dismantling of anyportion of the machine, and Whichvvill permit the same to be done by arelatively ineXpert operator;

From the description hereinbefore setforth Y of the mechanismv forregulatingthe size of the measuringpocket, the means of operating thesame Vwill be readily understood. By turning the crank arm 45 in the onedirection orthe other, accordingly as the size of the pocket is to beincreased or decreased, the plate 38 Will bejraised or lowered, and theadjustment thus made will be maintained by the seating of the teat 50 inone or the other of the recesses '54: inthe plate 43. It `vvill be notedthat this adjustment may be readily performed from time to time asdeemed necessary from an inspection ofthe bunches Which are formed inthe bunching mechanism proper of the complete machine. Itfvvill also henoted that as the feed roll 17 rotates, the cutting edge 36 of thefknife Svvill co-act with theV cutting edge 93 of the k'nife92 which issecured in the front Wall of the lower portion of the magazine orhopper, and that projecting particles of tobacco Will thereby positivelyVVbe severed.

' The sector plate 95 Will prevent premature delivery of any portion ofthe tobacco contained within the measuring. pocket, While the Y y To.

the same is still in communication with interiorY of the q magazine orhopper. preventthel vvvredgingfofany particles of tobacco between thesurface of the feed roll 17 and thesector plateY 95, the sector plate isso arranged with respect tothe Surface of the feed roll i7 as to providea space of constantly increasing Width whichVV will thus' tend toprevent Wedging or jamming of the tobacco therebetween.

lt Will be seen that there is thus provided an improved form ofmechanism for measuring and delivering a predetermined quantity ofltobacco in a cigar bunching machine in vwhich the mass of the tobaccocontained witliinthe maga-zine or hopper Will be per# niitted to enterthe measuring pocket in a i.

uniform vdisntegrated condition, that there is also provided means forconveniently and readily adjusting or varying the size ofl thevmeasuring pocket yto thereby insure the for'- ination of cigar buncheswhich Will be of uniform character, and that there are also providedcertain refinements'of mechanism Which Will render the machine simple,efiicient and certain in its operation.

Having thus described Athe nature and characteristic features of ourinvention,

what We claim as new and desirek to secure beinginclined to the vaxis ofthe roll, means forming a knife edge along the top margin of Vsaidinclined side Wall, anda cooperating knife secured to the hopper.

Y 3. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination of 'a feed roll, ahopper delivering thereto, said hopper having a recess in its walladjacent the feedV roll, a knife secured to the hopper and closing saidlrecess,VV the feed roll Vprovided with a longitudinally extendingpocket, and means forming a knife edge along the top margin of one ofthe longitudinally extending sides of the pocket for cooperating .withthe'fiirst mentioned knife.

4. ln a cigar bunching machine, thecombination of a feed roll, a hopperdelivering thereto, a pair of horizontally arranged ro,

tating shafts in saidv hopper provided` With f agitating fingers andmeans for actuating the shafts so that the fingers on each Ashaft willmove downwardly toward the middle of the hopper and Vin avvardly'nearthe Walls thereof.

l5. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination of an oscillatory feedroll, a hopper delivering thereto, a rotating shaft hori Zontallyarranged in the hopper directly above the feed roll, having'diametrically extending Wing members secured thereto, and means foractuating the shaft and feed roll relatively so that the Wings Willassume the vertical position when the feed roll first assumes thereceiving position.

6. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination of an oscillatory feedroll, a hopper delivering thereto, a rotating shaft horizontallyarranged in the hopper directly above the feed roll, havingdiametrically extending Wing members secured thereto, a pair of rotatingagitatingshafts provided with agitating fingers above the plane of theWing-shaft, and means for actuating the wing-shaft and feed rollrelatively so that the Wings will assume the vertical position when thefeed roll rst assumes the receiving position.

7. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination of an oscillatory feedroll,`1neans for delivering material thereto, comprising a hopper androtating agitating devices therein, means for oscillating the` roll fromthe receiving position to the discharging position, comprising arotating cam and connecting mechanism, and a common drive for saidrotating elements, the cam formation being such that the roll Willihavea definite dwell in the receiving position While the agitating devicescontinue to rotate.

8. In a cigar bunching machine, the combination of an oscillatory feedroll provided With a receiving pocket, a hopper delivering thereto, arotating shaft horizontally arranged in the hopper directly above theysition at the beginning of said dwell, and

shall operate duringrthe dwell to facilitate the delivery of scrap tosaid pocket, and the agitating devices shall have continuous op-yeration.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names.

y BERNARD LIBERMAN.

LEoN LIBERMAN. WILLIAM M. REICHART.

